Grandparents of fatally beaten toddler: We need justice for Chevy

The grandparents of Chevy Catalano, a 2-year-old boy beaten to death in North Fort Myers in June, are opening up about the loss of the toddler.

Debi and Sam Catalano believe Lee County deputies have the right man in custody.

Damien Palmer turned himself into authorities on Thursday, charged with second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Palmer is the live-in boyfriend of Chevy’s mother, Amanda Strickland.

On June 29, Chevy succumbed to severe brain injuries that, deputies said, Palmer inflicted on him 10 days prior at their Zoysia Lane home.

Chevy's grandparents are determined to find justice for their grandson.

"He was always a happy baby. He used to come over here and always cuddle up in my lap and fall asleep on my lap," Debi said.

The Catalanos' son, Salvatore, is the biological father of Chevy. They had a close relationship with Chevy for the first nine months of his life.

After Salvatore had separated from Chevy’s mother, the Catalanos saw Chevy sporadically and said Strickland purposefully cut the toddler out of their lives.

"We just thought we'd have more time. We never dreamed that something like this would happen,” Sam said.

On June 19, Salvatore, who is currently in prison, called them with terrible news.

"He told me that Chevy was taken to the Miami hospital with a bleeding brain and bruises and scrapes all over his body," Debi said. "The minute we walked into the hospital and I seen him laying there, I just, I immediately cried."

The Miami Children's Hospital is where Chevy spent his final 10 days. Immediately, the Catalanos started asking questions.

"The doctors told us that this was not self-inflicted. That somebody had done this to him," Sam said.

Investigators said Palmer, the only person watching the boy that day, hurt him.

"What did this guy do to Chevy? And then when we went to see him, I knew," Sam said. “I thought either he punched him the head, threw him up against a wall, or maybe slammed him on the ground. You know, but then when I seen that this man weighs 250 pounds, six foot something, you know, to abuse a child, a 2-year-old child, you know, my thing was, we need to get justice for Chevy.”

Palmer's family claimed the toddler fell and hit his head on a trampoline and that Damien called 911 immediately.

"The story that this man has given is just so far-fetched. He didn't call 911 first and then call Amanda. He waited until Amanda got there."

"When we heard bleeding brain and bruises all over the body, we knew it couldn't have been an accident. They also said that his face and eyelids were all swelled and that had to do with all the bruising,” Debi said.

Damien Palmer faced a judge Friday morning for the first time and was ordered held on $300,000 bond. He's next expected in court in August.